Will New Illinois Phone Ban Affect Employer Liability?

Illinois approved a ban on hand-held phones effective Jan. 1, which was already the law in many communities throughout the state including Chicago and Evanston. That law reportedly could hinder the state’s “mobile workforce,” as reported by Mike Riopell in the Daily Herald Business Ledger. Many companies already pay for and provide mobile communications devices for employees that regularly travel on the road for their job functions. With the new ban in place, it raises the question whether these companies should now also be obliged to pay for hands-free equipment. Furthermore, the question of possible liability for companies that don’t provide hands-free devices arises. Perhaps the issue of corporate liability will be one that the state legislature must decide. Making the roads safer certainly remains the priority.